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Trend Micro's Trend Anti-Spyware, Computer Associates International's (CA's) CA Security Advisor Site, and XBlock's X-Cleaner Spyware Remover (from Facetime Communications) are among products and resources highlighted in a discussion of tools that remove and fend off spyware and information Web sites. About 80% of home computers have spyware that has been installed without the knowledge of the user, according to a survey by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCAS). Online services that can help remove spyware and prevent further installations are TrendMicro Spyware Scan, SpywareInfo Online, Spyaudit, eTrust PestScan, Ad-Aware, Spybot Search and Destroy, CWShredder, Spy Sweeper, HijackThis: Merijn.org, Microsoft Windows Anti-Spyware (beta), Spyware Blaster, IE-SPYAD, Home PC Firewall Guide, Spyware Info, Spyware Guide, Ben Edelman, and Doxdesk.com. The sites can be divided into categories of those that help with removal, those that help users find out if spyware has been removed, those that tell the user what to do when remediation prevents the user from reconnecting to the Internet, those explaining how the user can prevent spyware from being loaded to begin with, and sites that provide the latest information about new forms of spyware. However, because Macintoshes, as well as Linux and UNIX-based machines, do not get spyware at all, it is obvious that Windows machines are the targets. Microsoft will address the issue with Windows OneCare, an antivirus service that should also fend off spyware. OneCare will only be enabled on Windows XP machines with SP 2 installed. Windows users are advised that they may want to take the drastic measure of (after backing up important files) reformatting the hard drive if they want to get rid of all the spyware on the machine.
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